Introduction of Default Navigation App Choice

With the upcoming release of iOS 18.4, Apple is introducing a new feature that will allow users in the European Union to set a default navigation app other than Apple Maps. This change is part of the company's response to the EU's Digital Markets Act, which aims to promote competition and innovation in the digital market.

The new feature will be available in the Settings app, under the section for default apps. Users will be able to choose from a list of installed navigation apps, including Google Maps and Waze, to set as their default navigation app. This means that when a user asks for directions, the chosen app will be launched instead of Apple Maps.

However, this feature will only be available to users in the European Union. Users in other regions, including the United States, will not have the option to set a default navigation app other than Apple Maps.

Other Default App Choices

While the default navigation app choice is only available in the EU, users in other regions can still set default apps for other services, such as email, messaging, and web browsing. For example, users in the US can set Gmail as their default email app or Google Chrome as their default web browser.

In addition to the default navigation app choice, iOS 18.4 will also introduce other features, including the ability to set a default translation app. This will allow users to choose their preferred translation app, such as Google Translate, to be used when translating text or speech.

Availability and Release Date

iOS 18.4 is currently in beta and is expected to be released in April. The update will be available for all compatible iPhone models, including the latest iPhone 14 series.